Nintendo surges on Switch 2 demand and preorder mayhem
Nintendo is enjoying a more than 6% bump on Thursday after preorders for its Switch 2 consoles finally kicked off in the US after a weeks-long delay due to tariffs.
Giving the gaming giant a boost: demand appears to be huge. The $450 console (and a $500 bundle) are out of stock on the websites of retailers like Walmart and Target. A notice at the online checkout page of GameStop, which waited until 11 a.m. ET to open preorders for the console, states that it is currently sold out.
Online, dozens of customers are reporting long wait times, broken websites, and canceled orders.
Despite sending virtually all of its Vietnam-built console supply to the US in recent months ahead of tariffs, Nintendo may not have reached the stockpile levels it was seeking. The company’s US website states that delivery by the announced June 5 launch date isn’t guaranteed, and orders will be fulfilled as product becomes available.
On Wednesday, Nintendo said it received 2.2 million preorders in Japan, far exceeding its expectations.